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| Rhododendron ‘Klondyke’ and Geranium maculatum |
May is already here and the garden suddenly explodes with growth. We spent the weekend watering (already?) because there hasn’t been significant rainfall in a while. We don’t have a sprinkler system so it is all manpower, dragging hoses and sprinklers. It takes two days – one for the back and one for the front – to water everything. It is possible to get it all in one day if we start really early.
The rhododendrons are beginning now –
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| ‘Mandarin Lights’ |
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| ‘Jean Marie De Montague’ |
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| ‘Percy Wiseman’ – beautiful but suffers from lacebug. I’m considering replacing it or maybe I will try and treat it. |
A favorite right now is the Chilean Potato Vine (Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’). This plant is hardier than you might imagine. Some sources list it as a “9”, others an “8”. It is going on its third year in our garden, having been moved once. It is sheltered somewhat by a fence but it is on the east side of the house. It gets sunlight until around 1pm and shade the remainder of the day. I love this color, it is probably my favorite.
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Chilean Potato Vine (Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’).
The flowers you see are actually cascading down from the top. The vine is actually planted on the opposite side of the fence. |
Some perennials are just getting started –
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| Geum ‘Starker’s Magnificent’ |
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| Geum ‘Mango Lassie’ |
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| Lydia Broom (Genista Lydia)
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Creeping Gold Wallflower (Erysimum
kotschyanum) |
And some foliage interest – first, Clematis recta which I’ve wanted ever since seeing it in Laura Scott’s garden. I finally had to mail-order it through
Brushwood Nursery in Athens, Georgia. It has really shot up and is looking great.
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| Picea abies ‘Pusch’ |
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| Epimedium |
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| Barberry ‘Aurea Nana’ |
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| Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’ |
Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
